Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Report card grades are finished. One more quarter to go.

Video from last evening, pictures from today

Here's my first attempt at posting a short video (very short!) Last evening Sam and Ashley were saying what a crazy, little dancer 2-year-old Gianna is. So we put on the soundtrack of Shrek. The other three kids instantly went into action, and little Gianna took a little longer to get moving. This short video doesn't do her justice. She was so funny.

She's also quite a talker. Early in the evening she pushed the dolly stroller to the kitchen where I was working. Here's the beginning of our conversation:

Gianna: Hi! What's your name?

Me: My name is Jean.

Gianna: Do you go to work?

Me: Yes, I do. I'm a teacher. I go to work at school and I teach the kids.

Gianna: I'm a kid.

She just cracked me up all evening long.

This morning my middle school worship team had our first of six Sunday morning programs. We were a little nervous, being our first time in front of an audience, and there were so many things to remember, and every church has a different layout which we must adapt to. But we tried to remember Who our audience really is, and I think we did a pretty good job of directing the focus of the service on Him. Here are two pictures Dick took during our last song, Jesus, Lover of My Soul. The kids chose to kneel during the last part of it.

I guess the crazy weather that's been marching across the country reached us this afternoon. We had about 15 minutes of wild wind and hail. Thankfully it waited until after my wonderful 2-hour nap!

Fun with some of the kids

This evening we had a really fun time with some of our kids who hadn't been here since Christmas. Sam came and finally brought his girlfriend Ashley and her two adorable kids, Aiden (5) and Gianna (2).

Frank (Destiny's dad) also came with Marisol, who is now his wife, and her son Jovanni (6). They got married around Valentines Day.

Destiny and Jovanni had fun with their games.

This little girl won my heart.

We had a really fun evening, and there are more pictures and a video of the kids dancing, but I'm so sleepy. And tomorrow morning is my MCDS Worship Team's first program, so I have to switch gears now.

Worship team is (almost) ready to hit the road

Today will be a long one. My middle school worship team will be having a three-hour practice until 4:30 at the church next door to our school. I almost forgot to get the ice cream I promised them. Now THAT would have been a disaster - no food for a bunch of teenagers.

On Sunday morning we'll be having our first program. I picked up our tee shirts this week. Wow, they look really cool. They're black with letters in a variety of bright colors - pink, yellow, green, and turquoise. I'll get a picture of all of them together on Sunday morning.

These kids are the bright spot of my week.

Quiche and paper work

When I was checking my regular blogs early this evening, I saw a delicious-looking quiche on my friend Cheryl's blog. I instantly was not in the mood for leftover vegetable soup (although it IS very delicious, because remember, I make awesome vegetable soup!!) But I just had to have me some quiche, broccoli cheese quiche. Making it was a good diversion from my main job of the evening - catching up with paper grading in preparation for report card grades. Soon the house was smelling so delish. And it tasted even better.

I hadn't made quiche for a long time. Quiche always makes me think of my dear late sister Janet. I probably told this story the last time I made quiche, but I'm telling it again.

Years ago when our family was having our annual weekend together, Janet provided our Sunday breakfast - you guessed it, quiche. But oh my, it was very, very tough and very, very cheesy. No one wanted to hurt her feelings, so we exclaimed over how very cheesy it tasted. She kept apologizing about how dry it was, and couldn't imagine why. She had made this recipe before, and it had never been tough and dry.

The next week we heard from her that upon arriving home that evening, she was greeted by a LOT of milk in her frig. And then she realized why the quiche was dry and tough - she had forgotten to add the milk to the recipe! We never let her live that down. And here I am, over four years since she died, and I'm still laughing over it. I STILL MISS HER!!!

A quiet, but powerful song

One of the songs I recently taught each grade is Paul Baloche's You Gave Your Life Away. It will be one of our mass chorus songs in the Spring Program. Most of the songs I use are more upbeat, complete with choreography, clapping, jumping, or whatever. And, of course, the wild and crazy behavior that goes with it! But I usually like to use one contrast song, and this one is it. So far I have always had the kids sit down on the risers to sing this one, asking them to try to forget about each other (a HUGE request for any age) and just focus on the One we're singing to. I'm telling you, I have never seen any song have the effect that this one does. No matter how many kids, or which grade, or what normal behavior issues there are, they COMPLETELY calm down as they sing this song, and they really do seem to become oblivious to each other.

Today I had my regular Tuesday half of the Primary Chorus, normally my most challenging period of the week. Today was no exception until we sang this song. The Pre-K teacher was waiting outside the door in tears, so moved as she heard those little voices singing so beautifully in pure worship.

I hope you have time to listen to the song.

George's girls

Lisa posted a bunch of pictures today from their weekend at Disney. Here are my favorites - they just warm my heart.

Our Sunday

After church yesterday, Dick had to work at Advance the rest of the day. We hate when he has to work on Sundays, but we're thankful for all the hours they have been giving him. So Destiny and I spent a lazy afternoon together. Ray was home this weekend too. He has less than a month to wait for his beloved to return home from her deployment!!

Ray and Destiny had fun discovering that our oranges were so juicy, you could insert a straw into the top of the orange and suck the juice out of it. An instant juice box!! (Sorry I didn't get any picture of Ray, Thyda.)

In the evening Destiny and I went to visit my parents. The first thing that caught my eye was my step-mother's quilt set up in their sun room. What a lovely place to work.

Here's a closer view of her handiwork.

She and I were having a lot of fun on the computer (she's becoming quite a computer geek, ha, ha, ha!) We were afraid we were neglecting my dad, but look what we found when we went into the livingroom. Destiny and Great Grandpa playing a game together. She just loves him, as we all do.

After Dick got off work we took Destiny home, and it was quite late till we got back home again.

And now I'm starting a new week, with more deadlines to meet.

Paper, paper, paper!!

Today I am doing this.....

...but I'd rather be doing this!

One end of the kitchen counter has become "paper central" around here, and the desk is even worse. So last evening I went through everything on the counter while Dick was here to ask about all his paper stuff. Then this morning I carried the stuff from the desk over to the counter, and am now trying to figure out what to do with each of those things before Dick leaves for his shift at Advance Auto Parts. Not everything is his stuff, but a lot of it is.

Miki, you can just take that Sears packet right out of the picture - it's your portraits that I need to mail to you some fine day!

I also am posting because I wanted to see if my blog updates on other people's sidebars. I noticed last evening that on several of my blog friends' sidebars, the last one showing for me is from several days ago - the "Oh, my pounding head" one. I don't want everyone to think I still have a pounding head!!!

Another "star"

You may remember this picture from my Christmas program last year. Eighth grade Derrick Kreider played the lead role of Marcus, a Roman tax collector.

Now just a year later Derrick played the lead role of Harry Witherspoon in our local high school's production of Lucky Stiff. In fact, three of the lead roles were my former students. The lead female role was played by Kelsey Snavely, pictured below with Derrick.

Another lead was played by William Gray. He had to pretend he was Derrick's dead uncle the whole evening, propped up in a wheel chair! At one point when Derrick was having a bad dream, the dead uncle got up and danced. Just hilarious!

How I miss Derrick. In fact, our whole school misses him. He was such a wonderful influence in our middle school.

Make sure you read my next post if you haven't already. There's good news about my neice Lori.

A great find and a great encouragement

When we got married in 1971 a friend of my mother gave us a West Bend electric kettle. It has probably been the most used piece of cookware that I own. I still use it regularly even though the one handle has gotten knocked off, the lid doesn't fit tightly anymore, and it just looks bad. Would you believe, the other day Dick was looking around at the new Jubilee thrift store in town, and found an identical kettle, but in much better condition for $2.50?? I am tickled pink!

I am also tickled pink to tell you that my neice Lori (from Fraser, Michigan) has been given the go-ahead for surgery on April 3rd. She is battling colon cancer the second time and has been receiving chemo treatments since September. The surgery will be very major and will take place in Cleveland. Lori's cousin (on the other side of her family) lives in Cleveland, and Lori's husband Jim will be able to stay there over the time of the surgery.

My sister Mary Ellen just spent a few days visiting with Lori and family. It was a very encouraging time. Lori hasn't had a chemo treatment for a few weeks, thus is feeling better than she has since September. She even led worship at church on Sunday! Mary Ellen was so encouraged to witness first hand the support, even friends who are praying and fasting, that Lori is surrounded with. In the picture above is Lori, holding Jim's son Bradley. Behind her is husband Jim and her children Sydney and Jared.

Lori, we LOVE you, we all are lifting you and your precious family before the Throne, and I'm sure your dear mom and grandma are among the cloud of witnesses who are rooting for you.

Oh, my pounding head

I have several things I was going to post about this evening, but I need to go to bed. I've had a pounding headache all day long, and it just will not quit. I took extra strength Tylenol and ibuprofen several times, I took a two-hour nap after school, but my head is still pounding.

But I won't leave my post on such a pathetic note. Here's some comic relief.

This is a picture of Dick when he was a groomsman in Elvin and Lorraine Brandt's wedding, which I think was a short while before our wedding in 1971. Lorraine posted some of her wedding pictures on her Facebook this week, and I stole this one and cropped it, so you could better see the tall, thin, dark, handsome guy I married!! Check those sideburns, ha, ha, ha!!

Starting out with a bang

This was one of those days that started out with a bang, and I kept feeling like I couldn't catch up. I usually take a yogurt and some fruit along to school for my breakfast and eat it right after staff devotions. But this morning there was a schedule change I had to work out with a couple of teachers as soon as devotions was over. Then the sound system had to be gotten ready for the 1st and 2nd graders to practice their poems for the poetry festival. Before I was finished helping to do that, one of my girls on the worship team was looking me up, wondering if we were having our regular Tuesday morning prayer time. Yes, we were, so I hurried back to my classroom for that, and we had a sweet 25 minutes together.

Ah.... half an hour till my first class. So I went to the restroom, eager to soon eat my yogurt and hard boiled egg I had brought along, as well as drink a cup of coffee. But, lo and behold, when I came out of the restroom, a teacher was waiting for me, because I had told her I would help her pull costumes at 8:30 for her class's Bible character show. That took the whole time till my first class started. It was just one of those mornings.

I don't think I ever mentioned that Dick is now in a maintenance chemo program. He will be getting four weekly chemo treatments every six months for the next two years. When he was diagnosed with lymphoma the second time in 2003 and had gone through a series of chemo treatments, his oncologist recommended this maintenance program then. He said they've been finding it to be effective in keeping people in remission for longer periods of time. However, at that time our insurance company was not on board with it. I think it was a fairly new thing back then. So now that he's needed chemo treatments at closer and closer intervals (Fall 2006 and Fall 2008) the oncologist has recommended it again, and his insurance company is willing to cover it. Yesterday was his first of four treatments for this first round. As usual, he just does not mind the treatment. He even played basketball at the rec center last evening, and volley ball this evening!

For some good, clean entertainment go here to watch Austin's latest bath video. He has learned how much fun it is to kick and splash!

Pictures from our day

We drove to State College this morning and went to Anthony and Lori's church, then spent the rest of the day with them. Here are some pictures from our day.

Austin really likes Destiny.

He's getting bigger! Look how he stretches all the way across me now.

After our Sunday afternoon naps we went for a walk in the nearby park. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

We did it!

As I said this morning, I was having a four-hour practice with my middle school worship team today, hoping that for the first time ever we would have all fourteen kids present. WE DID IT! One of the girls was unable to come for the first hour, but when she did arrive and I realized that we were ALL there, I stopped the practice to take a picture of this amazing moment. They stood like nice boys and girls for one or two pictures with the promise that they could then act silly for a picture. So here's the nice one....

.... and here's the crazy one. I would say that this one really does show their true colors! But I love them so much. God is doing some neat things in their hearts.

Busy weekend

Last evening and this morning I'm getting ready for a 4-hour practice with my middle school worship team. I'll be holding the practice at our church so the kids can get the chance to be in a sanctuary setting.

I wonder if everybody will be there. This has been the most unbelievable season of illness and other schedule conflicts. We started practicing right after Christmas vacation, and NOT ONCE have all 14 kids been present at the same time. We're not sure the one who was sick yesterday will be well enough to come today either.

Tomorrow we'll be going up to Anthony and Lori's for the day, so there's lot to do and look forward to.

A C Moore, another cute story

After picking Destiny up after school today, we stopped at AC Moore. I needed to get some red felt to make "ties" for my middle school worship team. We're doing a skit called "The Red Tie Club". While there I saw my sister-in-law Faye, who only lives three miles from here, but whom I seldom get to see. We stood there and talked for at least fifteen minutes, catching up with each other. Meanwhile Destiny was checking out all the wonderful craft things she wanted. We ended up with the cool paints pictured below. A brush is attached to each tube. She painted a bunch of pictures after we got home and they now decorate some of my walls.

Here's another cute story from my old Daytimer:

When our kids were little there was an Amy Grant song named Giggle that was popular. In it was a line that said, "Playing the part of the fool." As we were driving in the car one time, that song came on the radio and Anthony was sitting in the back seat belting it out. When it got to that particular line we heard him saying, "Playing in part of the pool." No wonder he liked that song, ha, ha, ha!!

This and that

I am praying for my friend Cheryl who had surgery today. I just heard from her friend Betty that she is having an allergic reaction in her throat since the surgery, and this will be a difficult night. Those of you who know her in real life and in Blogland, please pray for her tonight.

At the same time we are rejoicing that our pastor, who had surgery on Monday and was expecting to come home on Friday, already came home today. You can't keep a good man down!

This was a very full day from beginning to end. School was good. The song I was preparing the other evening, Chariot's Comin' was a big hit with Middle School Chorus, just like I thought it would be. They were already starting to sound pretty good doing it in chorus today.

I've had a couple of really good times with my middle school worship team this week. We get together every Tuesday morning for a time of sharing and prayer. Yesterday I had them turn their seats away from each other, and as we listened to Michael W. Smith's Worship CD, they wrote out their thoughts to the Lord, then we finished off with a number of the kids offering audible prayers. It was a beautiful experience. I feel strongly that we have no business getting up front leading congregations in worship if we never take the time to sit in His presence and worship Him without an audience.

After school as I drove past the Lancaster courthouse on my way to pick Destiny up from school, there were TV news trucks sitting along the street, and a camera man was poised right across the street from the front doors. I found out this evening on the news that after many hours of deliberation, the jury did decide on the death penalty. I haven't heard anything from Enid.

This evening we had a worship team practice at church. Dick and I are planning to go to Anthony and Lori's church on Sunday, so my assistant worship leader, Joe, was in charge. I know I've bragged about him before, but I just have to again. He and his brother Adam were both former students of mine. Joe plays guitar and sings, Adam play bass guitar. And they are GOOD!! I think I feel something akin to parental pride!!

A time to laugh

I needed something to smile about this evening, and I suspect that some of you do as well, so I pulled out some of my old Daytimers where I used to write my bloopers and other funny things.

Here's one on me:

One time I was walking up to the door of my favorite discount store, Savemart, at the same time as two elderly ladies. Feeling kind and gregarious, I held the door for them and gave them my warmest smile. Once inside, I got myself a shopping cart, got out my Daytimer in which I had my shopping list, and entered the first aisle. After checking out various shampoos and conditioners, I picked up five bottles, turned around, and loaded them into my cart. One of the elderly ladies was standing there, watching, almost staring at me. I gave her a big, friendly smile again, thinking to myself, "I guess she never before saw anyone get five bottles of shampoo at once."

I continued on my way through the store, and eventually noticed that I no longer had my Daytimer. I panicked, and went back through the store to the various places I had been looking at things, but no Daytimer. So I went to the service desk to ask if anyone had turned it in. No luck. Finally I decided to go all the way back to the very first aisle and look everywhere again. Lo and behold, there in that shampoo aisle sat a shopping cart all by itself, with nothing in it but my Daytimer!

With great humiliation I began to realize why that elderly lady had stood there watching me. I had loaded my five bottles of shampoo into her cart, gave her a great big smile, and took off with it.

I'm really tired of talking about this trial, but I do have to correct what I wrote last evening. He has received the guilty verdict, but the life vs death sentence has not yet been decided. Testimony continued today, and will continue. How long, I do not know.

And to leave this post on a lighter note - yesterday at lunch we were having a discussion about having tonsils removed. I just noticed that back in 1991 when we had a sweet little girl named Krista, she came home from kindergarten and announced that a boy in her class had his nozzles taken out. Ha, ha, ha, ha!

(Note to Renee: make sure they take your tonsils, not your nozzles!!)

Monday rambings

I've been bothered by a sinus headache and stuffy nose the past few days. In fact, I felt pretty yucky at school today, but for whatever reason, I am feeling better now than I did all day. How weird is that? But I'm not complaining!

I had fun this evening putting a new song into the computer for Middle School Chorus - one of our Jr. High festival songs. It's called Chariot Comin' by Sonja Poorman and it is FUN!! The kids are going to love it.

Destiny's uncle was found guilty of first degree murder today, and according to Enid's very tearful phone call this evening, has already received the death sentence (although on the news they are saying that his sentence will not be decided until tomorrow morning.) Perhaps she is just assuming what they will decide - I don't know. Destiny is still here tonight. Obviously no one at that household feels up to childcare. I have no idea how one would ever feel up to anything in their situation. If only tragedies like this would be enough to cause every teen to want to stay in school and choose friends with goals and listen to their parents' advice.

We had a tornado drill at school today, which seemed rather appropriate after the devastation I saw on the news from tornadoes this weekend. At least I wasn't the only one kneeling in the hall this time. A few years ago we had a fire drill, but I thought it was a tornado drill. So I went out into the hall and knelt low against the wall. Boy, I've never heard the end of it - we're having a fire and I'm kneeling down, praying about it! But it turns out, the joke was on them. They really did ring the wrong bell code, and I was the only one who listened carefully enough to notice! Since then we've installed an intercom system and we have various code names for different potential situations.

Nice laid-back day

It's been a very nice laid-back kind of day. We had fellowship meal after church. It's such a good opportunity to catch up with people I don't otherwise have a chance to talk with.

Dick had to work at Advance Auto Parts the rest of the day. Destiny and I came home and had a quiet, relaxing afternoon. She was just an angel. I actually took a 2 1/2 hour hap on the sofa while she played quietly.

This evening I've been working on some things for my school worship team. I actually woke up at 3 AM on Saturday morning and suddenly thought of things that must urgently be done in order for us to be ready for our first program in three weeks. Would you believe, I could NOT go back to sleep? On a Saturday morning, my only day to sleep past 5:30 AM??? So frustrating.

I suppose the trial for Destiny's uncle will conclude tomorrow. According to the newspaper, the final presentations will be made tomorrow morning, and then it will be in the hands of the jury. I have no idea how things will play out the rest of this week.

Our thoughts and prayers this evening are with our dear pastor Dennis, his wife (and my close friend) Cindy, and all their family. He will be having prostate cancer surgery tomorrow.

Lovely Saturday

This has been an absolutely lovely day, temps in the 60's again.

Dick had to work at Advance Auto Parts for six hours today, but before he left he challenged Destiny in a game of checkers. She's getting pretty good at it.

It was a great day for the tree swing.

Even her babies enjoyed a swing ride. By the way, Cherdecor, the baby boy in the middle is named Alan. How funny is that??

I've been doing all my usual Saturday work - bookwork, bills, laundry, cleaning up, organizing, Sunday music prep. I suddenly remembered that we have to set the clocks ahead an hour before we go to bed, so I need to keep busy. I still need to make a dish for our fellowship meal at church.

And by the way, check out the new pictures Anthony posted today here.